Planning and Zoning Board tables Russell Johnson rezoning after notice failures and safety concerns

The Glendale Town Planning and Zoning Board on June 10 opened a rezoning request from Russell Johnson to change Parcel G-171-33 from single-family residential (R-1-20/R-1-10) to multiple residential (R-M-7) but unanimously tabled the item until July after staff confirmed that some property owners had not been properly notified.

The hearing included a presentation by Chris Heaton, the applicant's representative, who said nationally syndicated mortgage lenders sometimes require multifamily zoning as a condition for approving loans for certain building configurations even when there is no immediate plan to build multiple units. Several residents pressed the board on safety and infrastructure, saying cul-de-sacs and local roads are too narrow for fire trucks and delivery vehicles to turn around safely.

Lori Jensen, a staff member, told the board that the office mails certified letters to property owners within 500 feet of a subject site but acknowledged that some individuals were missed in this instance; Glenn Stacy and Terri Anderson said they did not receive notices and had to obtain copies at the office about a week prior to the hearing. Because the required notifications were not completed for all affected owners, the board voted to table the matter to allow proper notice and additional review.

The board did not take a formal vote on the rezoning proposal itself; the tabling postpones substantive consideration to the next meeting in July so that missing notices can be rectified and the board can further examine infrastructure implications.